1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general relates to pediatrics and, more particularly, to a device for use in a shower that is adapted for cleaning and abrading the skin on a foot.
The foot is a neglected portion for most people. It is generally difficult to clean when a person is in the shower. The person has to stand on one leg, which is dangerous, while cleaning the opposite foot or the person is required to bend down while standing under the shower. Many people lack flexibility to bend down and reach their feet. Consequently, people often omit washing their feet or if they do, they perform only a cursory cleansing.
These problems are especially difficult for people who suffer from disorders such as obesity, back problems, or other handicaps.
The foot is also prone to many dermatologic problems as well. People develop athlete's foot (one of many possible fungal infections), corns, calluses, and the like. Many people neglect treating these disorders for similar reasons as mentioned above.
People who suffer from athlete's foot know how severely their feet can itch. Minor abrasion of the affected area can alleviate itching while helping to remove layers of dead skin and promote the efficacy of certain athlete's foot medications that are topically applied. People with calluses on their feet know how difficult it is to bend down and use a hand held tool to abrade away their calluses.
Psoriasis and eczema sufferers also similarly benefit from abrading some of the dead skin off of the affected areas before applying any medication to the area.
It is also desirable to be able to massage a foot. This is well known to relax and calm a person.
Accordingly, there exists today a need for an apparatus and method for cleaning the feet of a user during the normal course of taking a shower that helps ameliorate the aforementioned difficulties while abrading dead skin and massaging the foot.
Clearly, such an apparatus and method would be useful and desirable.
2. Description of Prior Art
Devices for cleaning and massaging a foot are, in general, known. For example, the following patents describe various types of these devices:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,618 to Massiet, May 28, 1996; and
U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,156 to Brunderman, Nov. 7, 2000.
While the structural arrangements of the above described devices, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.